<p class="bold allcaps">POLICE BEAT</p>
<p><b>Capital City Bank branch robbed</b></p><p>The Capital City Bank branch at 1417 N. Main St. was robbed Tuesday afternoon by a man who got an undisclosed amount of cash and was still at-large, Gainesville police Lt. Will Halvosa said.</p><p>The robbery occurred about 1:45 p.m. when the robber wrote a demand for money on a deposit slip and handed it to a teller.</p><p>Halvosa said the man did not show a weapon. Police are not certain if he drove off after the robbery or walked away from the bank.</p><p>Officers were stationed in the immediate area but no one fitting the description of the robber was spotted.</p><p>Halvosa said bank surveillance video captured images of the man. Police were also reviewing video from neighboring businesses in a search for other clues.</p><p><i>— Cindy Swirko</i></p><p><b>Bronson man, 51, found dead in home</b></p><p>The Levy County Sheriff's Office is investigating a homicide this past weekend in Bronson.</p><p>Deputies responded Saturday to a 911 call and went to a house at 10151 NE 48th Lane. There, a family member directed them to the body of George Hamilton Pierce, 51.</p><p>The cause of death has not been released and no suspects have been arrested.</p><p>Anyone with information is asked to call Det. Jimmy Anderson or you can remain anonymous by calling Crime Stoppers at 877-349-8477.</p><p>—<i> Staff report</i></p><h3>STATE</h3>
<p><b>Death of Orange Co. panther confirmed</b></p><p>CHRISTMAS — A necropsy confirms that a Florida panther was struck and killed by a car in Orange County. A Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission biologist retrieved the carcass Sunday.</p><p>Veterinarian Mark Cunningham says it appears to be that of a young male. There was no evidence that the animal was a captive, and it did not have a heart defect occasionally seen in Florida panthers.</p><p><i>— The Associated Press</i></p>